Fraud Watch Wednesday Scam Alert: NEW IRS Phone Scam Involves iTunes Gift Cards

The IRS scam has a new twist.

A scammer will call, claiming to be from the IRS. He or she says that  you will be arrested if you don’t pay back taxes immediately. The caller will tell you to buy an iTunes gift card and put the amount you owe on it. Then, you are to call back and provide the 16-digit code that is on the card to complete your payment.

The con artist then sells the codes on the online black market and pockets the cash.

The IRS will never call you. "Taxpayers should remember their first contact with the IRS will not be a call from out of the blue, but through official correspondence sent through the mail," says IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "A big red flag for these scams are angry, threatening calls from people who say they are from the IRS and urging immediate payment.

The IRS only accepts checks, cash and credit cards as forms of payment.

Apple sells iTunes gift cards solely for purchases on the iTunes music store and the app stores. If you are not shopping on the iTunes music or app stores, you have no need to use or purchase an iTunes gift card.

Be a fraud fighter!

If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Report scams to your local law enforcement.

Contact the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or 1-877-908-3360 to report a scam or for more information on scam and fraud prevention.